Summer is the time for backyard BBQs, pool parties, long nights, and yard games. Hanging out with your family or hosting friends on your old, dingy deck is not very appealing. A bare concrete patio? No bueno. Lucky for you, refreshing your backyard space doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive. Try your hand at the makeover ideas below!
RESTORE YOUR DECKING
Depending on the shape it’s in, sometimes all your deck needs is a little love. If it’s still fairly new, your deck might just need a deep cleaning and a new coat of sealant. There is a multitude of deck finishing and cleaning solutions on the market to choose from to achieve this. However, if it’s more worn down, the rejuvenation process may be a bit longer, including searching for larger repairs, tightening any hardware, giving it a good cleaning, applying a stain, sealant, and paint, and more.
CREATE A PATH
Put down materials like mulch, bricks, or stones to create a clear path from your house to the pool or playhouse in your backyard. You can also include a little flair to your pathway by adding yard decorations like gnomes, lawn art, glow-in-the-dark rocks, or garden stakes.
ADD LIGHTING
Ambient lighting can completely transform your outside space into a relaxing, cozy oasis. Consider adding solar lights that don’t require a plugin or battery replacement. The lights turn on automatically when the sun sets, making your deck come alive. You can also consider paper lanterns, rope lights, mason jar lamps, or small twinkle lights, depending on the style and mood you’d like to set.
BUILD A PRIVACY SCREEN
Privacy screens come in all styles, shapes, and sizes. Consider purchasing and installing bamboo fencing or lattice panels for a quick and easy solution. Or, if you are feeling a little more adventurous, you can build a wooden frame and grow climbing plants or vines or stretch outdoor fabric in between. Whichever route you end up choosing, make sure you get the most out of your efforts by evaluating all lines sight before building.
DIY PERGOLA
A pergola is a fantastic idea for your dream backyard. Clear out an area on a deck or in your yard and build your own pergola with this guide from DIY Network. Planning to spend a lot of time outside with your backyard remodel? Add curtains for extra shade to create the ultimate relaxing space.
ADD ACCENTS
The addition of a rug, some planters, and some cozy patio furniture can eliminate that “driveway look” most concrete slab patios have. You can even add a few accent pillows to brighten up the space. For longevity, you can add fake flowers and plants to your planters! Just create your desired arrangement and forget about them till the season changes. Easy!
GO VERTICAL
Whether you’re looking to expand your garden without taking up horizontal space or searching for small backyard ideas, wall planters are terrific for changing your outdoor area on a budget. Build a custom DIY vertical planter, or simply drill plastic planter boxes or pots into a wooden pallet to place against your house. Hanging pots from a metal lattice also works well.
ADD LAWN GAMES
Backyards can become the ultimate relaxation space, but take some time to add a little fun to the yard – especially when company comes over! Complete your yard makeover by setting up lawn games. Croquet, bocce ball, ladder golf, and bucket ball are all awesome ideas for including recreation in your backyard green space. You can DIY several backyard favorites or hit up stores like Target to find something fun.
